The Bengals went for it on a 4th-and-1 on the 49ers’ 27.
The NYT 4th Down Bot signs off on that.

If you disagree

The coach and I agree that going for it is the thing to do here, but you may be thinking it makes sense to attempt a field goal. That would be the right call if you think the Bengals’ chances of converting on fourth down are less than 34 percent. But based on my analysis, I’d give the Bengals a 67 percent chance to get a first down here.

Here's the full breakdown of my calculations:

Option

Chance of converting

Chance of winning

Before play

After play

Change

Go for it4th and 1, opp. 27

67%

70%

73%

+3%

Field goal try44 yard kick (est.)

68%

70%

69%

–1%

Punt

70%

67%

–3%

My decision in context

Along with some circuitry to come up with a win probability for every game situation, all you need to figure out what you should do next is an estimate of how likely you are to make a field goal or convert a first down.

My estimates for these are based on the results of thousands of similar plays, but you may think you're smarter than I am. This chart shows you how changing those estimates would change my recommendation.

What to do on 4th-and-1 on opp. 27

Tied with 6:29 remaining in the 1st quarter

Behind my field goal number

What coaches usually do

Go for it

45% of the time

Field goal try

45% of the time

Punt

10% of the time

Based on about 918 fourth downs in similar situations since 2001.

What happened

Giovani Bernard rush up the middle for a loss of 1 yard to the SF28. Tackled by Jaquiski Tartt. Giovani Bernard rush up the middle for a loss of 1 yard to the SF28. Tackled by Jaquiski Tartt.

Where did these numbers come from?

To estimate a team’s chances of winning, I use a mathematical model that accounts for a whole lot of variables — including the difference in score, the time remaining in the game, and the number of timeouts each team has left. On top of that, I have models for the likelihood that a team makes a field goal and the likelihood that it will convert a first down.

By combining all of this information, I can come up with the best decision a team can make, according to math.

If you want even more details about the numbers behind my decisions, my full model is available on GitHub. Help make me better!